AI-Assisted Estimates and Proposals

Speed of response to a request is a working advantage for a solo professional. A client has sent the task to three contractors; most often they choose the one who replied first and clearly. While the numbers are being gathered and the text is being written, the window closes.

In PRO-dela, estimates and proposals are prepared with the help of AI: a draft based on the project description, export to PDF, and a custom format for each project. Let's walk through the sequence of steps.

Why estimates are slow

An estimate is the translation of understood work into scope and money. What makes it slow is not the arithmetic but two steps around it: gathering requirements from emails and messages, and formatting the response so the client actually reads it.

Both steps are draft work that can be sped up.

The second reason is format. Every time, the proposal structure is assembled from scratch: what we do, what parts it consists of, in what order, what is needed from the client. A single template would save hours, but it's a chore to maintain by hand.

The third reason is psychological: without a system, the estimate gets postponed until the deadline, and the response goes out in a hurry — with inflated risks or an underpriced quote.

Step 1. Describe the project in a brief

The basis for the draft is the project brief. Write it the way you would explain it to a contractor: the goal, the scope, the constraints, what already exists, what counts as the result. The more specific the text, the more accurate the draft estimate.

The platform does not read files attached to the brief — transfer the terms from attachments into the text. Remove the message history: for an estimate, it's noise.

Don't shape the text to fit the answer you want. The purpose of the description is to convey the scope of work, not to justify a particular number; you can always check yourself afterward.

Step 2. Request a draft estimate and proposal

The estimate feature will suggest a breakdown of the work and a range of effort with justification. Treat it as a colleague's opinion: compare it with your experience, note the points where the draft clearly missed the mark — those places will show you what is unclear in the description.

Then request a draft proposal: structure, text, order of work.

Estimates and proposals have their own project-level prompts — you can edit them once: add your own paragraph order, tone requirements, and mandatory sections.

The finished proposal is exported to PDF — a document you can send to the client as is or attach to an email.

Step 3. Review, enter prices, send

Enter the prices in the proposal yourself: the platform doesn't know your rates, your cost per hour, or what this order is worth to you. The range from the draft is a guide to scope, not a price list.

Check the promises: deadlines, scope of work, assumptions. The proposal should not contain items you are not prepared to deliver — the draft doesn't know about that.

Send it the same day, while the request is hot. If part of the response isn't ready yet, say when it will be; a fast incomplete reaction is better than a slow complete one.

Example: an app for an auto repair shop

A developer receives a request for a mobile app for booking appointments at an auto repair shop. They describe the project in a brief: the goal, two interfaces — client and administrator, integration with the schedule, deadline constraints.

The draft estimate breaks the work into parts and gives a range with justification. The developer sees that the draft estimated testing generously and the integration too optimistically, edits the description, and repeats the request.

The proposal is assembled into a structure: approach, stages, scope of work, what is needed from the client.

They enter prices based on their rate, export the PDF, and send it the same day. This is a learning example; what's notable about it is the pace, not the numbers.

How this works in PRO-dela

Estimates and proposals are project features: a draft based on the brief, confirmation, saving the result, exporting the proposal to PDF. Prompts are configured at the project level and reset to the defaults with a single action.

Drafts require review: AI doesn't know your rates and doesn't guarantee the completeness of the scope. The platform does not accept online payments — the estimate and proposal are followed by a separate invoice, which will be covered in a separate article.

What most often gets in the way

The first mistake is sending the draft without reviewing it: the range becomes a promise. The second is overloading the brief with history instead of requirements: the draft comes out just as vague.

The third is keeping the proposal only in email: in the platform it lives next to the project and is available at the next conversation.

Frequently asked questions

Does the AI know my rates?

No. It suggests scope and structure; you enter the prices, discounts, and final total yourself.

Can I configure my own proposal format?

Yes, estimates and proposals have editable project-level prompts: structure, tone, mandatory sections. Resetting to the default takes a single action.

Is this suitable for fixed price lists?

Yes: the draft is useful for checking scope and text, while prices are filled in from your price list as usual.

Respond faster

Describe your next client request in a brief and get draft estimates and proposals the same day. Speed of response is an advantage that doesn't require sacrificing quality if a professional does the review.

Sign up for PRO-dela. Current terms of use are available on the pricing page.